I am looking to purchase a one bedroom in this condo complex. All the info I get from my realestate agent are base on verbal and seeing the apartment in showing. However I have nothing in the form of a written document. Is this consider NORMAL in DR that they don't give you,
1) the charter of the Community of Costambar, as there is a monthly community fee on top of the condo fee. Specify how much a month and what they are for.
2) the charter of the condo of codominica Luperon, specify how much a month and what they are for.
Also the roof of this aparting is leaking and the wood beam and plywood has extensive termite problem. I was told "they" are going to replace the roof for FREE. And I am lucky I will get a new roof.
1) the condo fee we pay should cover the exterior wall and the roof of the complex, why is she saying I am getting it for FREE?
Initally I was told "they" will replace the roof and I will get a NEW roof. In the latest e-mail, it was down grade to just "repair", then further downgrade to " it is up to the local contractor to determine which wood beam need to be replaced".
This complex as she told me is 25 yrs old. My guess is, in the latest earthquake, some tiles and the cement that hold the tile together must have developed cracks -> leaking, and the termite infestation has been there for a "long" in this hot and humid climate and the wood beams were not "treated" 25 yrs ago. Simply depending on a "local" contractor to determine which wood beam is infested with termite and replace just won't cut it. With termites larvae burrowing in the wood, you just can't inspect with your naked eye.
I was very disappointed the change in words from "new roof" to "repair" and finally to depend on "local contractor".
Does not make sense. If it is not done right to begin with, the condo owners will just have to cough up more $$ to repair the roof again some time down the road.
I had about one week to look for a one bedroom. During my encounter with people who want to sell, their realestate agent, and canadian/american/european that have live here long, this is what I find.
1) DR needs us$/Euro to pay off its external debt. Current govt is encouraging tourism and foreign puschase of DR realestate.
2) the North shore locals (dominican and white) knows the only people who has $$ to spend is the tourists and foreign realestate purchasers. So they will do whatever they can (including not so honest way) to get a piece of the pie.
3) the contrast between the "have" and "have not" is just too much, compount by the influx of Haitians and drugs from Haiti, create a high crime environment. The government put on a good show to let us think they are serious about fighting crime. However, the low pay police are corrupted, crime fighting amounts to only a gesture.
4) I do not feel "safe" if the police are corrunpted and the security guards you hire may screw you up one day. If I need help, who is going to help you. The police?
5) I believe DR people are honest and friendly in nature. They are driven by this huge contrast of have and have not environment to eventually tempted to be dishonest and for some women to sell their bodies.
6) I believe if you have a good network of honest dominican friends and honest "gringo" friends, you will be better off than counting on the police. But do expect most of the time they expect something in return. (I spent 300 pesos to buy one big can of milk power for one of my dominican friend when he told me he has a 2 months old baby, the another 200 pesos when he told me his car is out of gas. I spend 170 pesos to buy my realestate agent drinks and another 800 pesos to buy her dinner and drinks because I really think she is trying to "help" me. She is european, not dominican. Initially I thought just pasta for two, but after all the drinks she ordered for herself, the bill came to 1000 pesos. Kind of strange, you would think since she is the one who is going to make 4-5k us$ in commission, she would be buying??)
So, if you can share any experience about Costambar, Condominica Luperon and realestate purchase in general, I appreciate.
1) the charter of the Community of Costambar, as there is a monthly community fee on top of the condo fee. Specify how much a month and what they are for.
2) the charter of the condo of codominica Luperon, specify how much a month and what they are for.
Also the roof of this aparting is leaking and the wood beam and plywood has extensive termite problem. I was told "they" are going to replace the roof for FREE. And I am lucky I will get a new roof.
1) the condo fee we pay should cover the exterior wall and the roof of the complex, why is she saying I am getting it for FREE?
Initally I was told "they" will replace the roof and I will get a NEW roof. In the latest e-mail, it was down grade to just "repair", then further downgrade to " it is up to the local contractor to determine which wood beam need to be replaced".
This complex as she told me is 25 yrs old. My guess is, in the latest earthquake, some tiles and the cement that hold the tile together must have developed cracks -> leaking, and the termite infestation has been there for a "long" in this hot and humid climate and the wood beams were not "treated" 25 yrs ago. Simply depending on a "local" contractor to determine which wood beam is infested with termite and replace just won't cut it. With termites larvae burrowing in the wood, you just can't inspect with your naked eye.
I was very disappointed the change in words from "new roof" to "repair" and finally to depend on "local contractor".
Does not make sense. If it is not done right to begin with, the condo owners will just have to cough up more $$ to repair the roof again some time down the road.
I had about one week to look for a one bedroom. During my encounter with people who want to sell, their realestate agent, and canadian/american/european that have live here long, this is what I find.
1) DR needs us$/Euro to pay off its external debt. Current govt is encouraging tourism and foreign puschase of DR realestate.
2) the North shore locals (dominican and white) knows the only people who has $$ to spend is the tourists and foreign realestate purchasers. So they will do whatever they can (including not so honest way) to get a piece of the pie.
3) the contrast between the "have" and "have not" is just too much, compount by the influx of Haitians and drugs from Haiti, create a high crime environment. The government put on a good show to let us think they are serious about fighting crime. However, the low pay police are corrupted, crime fighting amounts to only a gesture.
4) I do not feel "safe" if the police are corrunpted and the security guards you hire may screw you up one day. If I need help, who is going to help you. The police?
5) I believe DR people are honest and friendly in nature. They are driven by this huge contrast of have and have not environment to eventually tempted to be dishonest and for some women to sell their bodies.
6) I believe if you have a good network of honest dominican friends and honest "gringo" friends, you will be better off than counting on the police. But do expect most of the time they expect something in return. (I spent 300 pesos to buy one big can of milk power for one of my dominican friend when he told me he has a 2 months old baby, the another 200 pesos when he told me his car is out of gas. I spend 170 pesos to buy my realestate agent drinks and another 800 pesos to buy her dinner and drinks because I really think she is trying to "help" me. She is european, not dominican. Initially I thought just pasta for two, but after all the drinks she ordered for herself, the bill came to 1000 pesos. Kind of strange, you would think since she is the one who is going to make 4-5k us$ in commission, she would be buying??)
So, if you can share any experience about Costambar, Condominica Luperon and realestate purchase in general, I appreciate.